Some questions for teachers in Western Australia.

[rikamarie]

Hi guys!

I have a questions for teachers who are currently in WA. I have sent through all my docs and registration forms to WATRB. How long does the assessment and registration take?

And what about the Working with children check? I know I can only do it in person, but can I at all apply for teaching positions without this card? Cause this seems highly impossible, but I know of some teachers who were able to get a job from RSA and then only apply for the WWCC card once they arrive.

We land in Perth on the 2nd of Jan 2014. Any advice would be helpful.

[LadySnoo]

I'm interested in the same things ... I have no answer but will be keen to see what answers come up.

Can you pally for this before visa grant or skills assessment we still early in the process .

Hope you strike the luck and land a job before you land down underline your friends . I hear its really tough and relief teaching is required before they commit full time... I hope they were wrong for our cases

[HadEnoughofJuju]

From what I have read in the initial registration policy for the WATRB it looks like you will onky have to geg a WWCC after the registration has gone through and before you actually start teaching. I also read somewhere that for certain professions it is not necessary to have a blue card because the police clearance is done as part of the registration process. Teachers, doctors, nurses and police are among the list and from what I can remember this was implemented at a federal government level and not state.

As for the registration process, if it's like everything else, long is the answer and nothing seems to take less than 10 weeks. For your sake I hope it's quicker.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

I started the teacher registration process with QCT before we even had a CO never mind the visa.

[Clover]

Useful information. Just like Ladysnoo I would be interested to find out more about the process and would highly appreciate any updates on the progress/time and any other details with dealing with WATRB.

Goodluck Rikamarie

[rikamarie]

Thanks HEOJJ for your advice. Did your wife also have to have another assessment with QCT? As part of the registration, as you said, I had to fill in a police clearance application form. And had to add 100 points of identification. Not sure if I did it right. Hopefully all will be in order. I am so use to the RSA mentality of the registration form being thrown out if everythin is not in order.

When my husband applied at the WA police, they simply emailed him to let him know they short a specific declaration. They emailed it to him and he had 30 days to provide them with it. Easy as that. So I hope it will be the same. If something is short, they will let me know and I can send it to them.

I guess I am just too stressed!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

All the documents we sent to AITSL we had to send to QCT so that they could reassess her qualifications and then after we thought we were done we had to submit everything to the QLD Department of Education so she could get an employee number so that she could (you guessed it) register with Tracer so that the schools in the area can contact here for relief teaching.

And it doesn't stop there. After I think it's 40 days of continuous teaching she will need to be evaluated by both the department and QCT so that the provisional registration can be changed into full registrations.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

What I forgot to mention was the fact that after all this registering with the different organizations, she has to contact all the schools in the area to inform them that she is available for relief teaching. Which begs the question of why did she then have to register with tracer?

[rikamarie]

Oh my word what a process!! Thanks for the info! I really hope WA doesn't let me go through all thois shlep. That is why I am so urgently looking for member Elmarie61, because she is in Perth, and sorted out everything from here and even landed a job at a private school before leaving RSA.

[HadEnoughofJuju]

I used to have Elmarie's email address and have been hunting for it but haven't managed to find it yet. Has she not answered your PM?

[rikamarie]

No she hasn't answered or read them. I joined a group on FB, south africans in perth. Hopefully there will be some teachers there.

Thanks for looking for her email addy.

[rikamarie]

HI guys

I made contact with another teacher in WA.

My questions are in black, her anwers are in red.

How long does the registration with the TRB (Teacher registration board) take?

You register as a non-practicing teacher. It takes 2-4 weeks

Is it possible to get a job without the working with children check card?

Some private schools will give you a job without the card but then stipulate that you have to apply the day you arrive in Australia and forward the slip that you've applied to them as soon as possible and provide the card as soon as you have it. Public schools will not and may not appoint you without the card. if you come to Oz on an LSD trip, apply for the card on your trip. This will greatly help your chances of getting a job before you come over. You have to be registered with the TRB for public or private school jobs.

Any other advice?

When you arrive in Oz, try to start working asap because otherwise if you are out of the teaching profession for too long, they monitor you first (like teaching prac all over again) before you can start teaching full time again.

After a year you can change your non-practicing registration to full registration with the TRB.

Hope this helps everyone. Sure helps me a lot! I'm still waiting to hear from TRB. Waiting anxiously .

I emailed them to ask something about my paperwork and they said they'll let me know if they need anything else. I must admit, I am so use to RSA where if your paperwork isn't correct, they simply throw the application out, and this is one thing of Oz that really really impresses me, they will simply email you and ask you to please forward so and so paperwork and then they wait for it and continue with your application.

[dkm]

Thanks for all this info. I will get started tomorrow. Our plans have taken a sudden turn and we have an offer on the house, so we may be leaving in September and not January! Hopefully this will be quicker than AITSL. Good luck to everyone in the same boat!

[rikamarie]

Yay, the money for my registration went off today from my bank account! Hopefully that is good news!

[Elmarie61]

Hi guys,

Sorry to be late to the party!

I could not remember my log in details so I have been more of an observer of late. Did not see this post until now!

My story, in short; I emailed my CV and portfolio to around 60 different private schools all over Australia. I compiled a list of the school names and email addresses and I just kept sending mails. Out of all the schools I contacted, about 15 came back and said 'thanks but no thanks', and one gave me an interview. This is the job I got and I am now happily working for this wonderful school. It really is just luck of the draw. They happened to need an art teacher just when my email landed on the principle's desk. You just have to go for it and hope for the best. I know my school will be looking for next year's employees in Sept, so that is a good time to send those emails.

The school accepted me, even though I was not registered yet, and I did not have my working with children's check. They employ you on the assumption that you will be able to register. I applied for both shortly after I landed with no hassles. You just post your documents (normal post I might add!) and it arrives there within days, where after they send you a confirmation email. Wonderfully efficient!

I have sent Rikamarie my personal email address so if anyone wants to contact me you can get it from her, or send me a PM.

On a lighter note, I am loving working at a WA school. The hours are a bit different from SA - 8:30 to 3:30, and the sessions are much longer - 55min! I find the staff very supportive. I know these things differ between schools, so I am just giving you my take. You also get 5 DOTT sessions a week. (Duties other than teaching), and you do not get asked to do relief in this time. Very different from RSA. I find the sport in my school a bit lacking. I think students who are serious about sport join clubs. I am also amazed at the resources. Computer labs, mac labs, science labs all well kitted out, and a restaurant (for home ec) etc. The school seems very open to excursions for the kids. And of course the train is an easy route into Perth for galleries etc.

If you would like to get a handle on the syllabus for secondary school in WA, have a look at http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/

Hope you are all well!

[AlBrough]

Wow, congratulations Elmarie!

[rikamarie]

Yay, just heard my TRB registration has been processed and now they are just waiting for my criminal record check clearance!

[Zim]

That's great Rikamarie,

I also just heard back from trb but unfortunately to say my one letter from UNISA about my teaching practice is not on the letterhead! Argh. So have phoned UNISA and now need to wait for that to come in the very slooooooow post all the way to Zimbabwe....then pay another $65 US dollars to FedEx it off! Oh well....

You and your husband sound so similar to my husband and I, he is also very interested in the police force but was worried about applying too early as we will only arrive Dec at the very soonest! Has your husband not been asked to attend any interviews etc yet?

Have a lovely day and look forward to that good news from TRB :-)

[rikamarie]

URGH! Received an email from TRB, I only have 95 points for the 100 points identity check! So now have to figure out what to do for that stupid extra 5 points!!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

I used my my wife's South African ID book and drivers license and QCT accepted that no hassles, but every department is different and they all have different mandates about identity.

[rikamarie]

Thanks HEOJJ, I'm sending certified copies of my ID book & front of credit card, original bank statements and reference letter from our GP. Hopefully that will prove to them I am who I say I am!

[rikamarie]

Good news! My registration with the Teacher Registration of WA went through this morning So happy!

[LadySnoo]

Awesome news!

[Clover]

Thanks for sharing !

Wonderful news, congrats !

[rikamarie]

Thanks LadySnoo and Clover. Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my name on the Register of Teachers! Now any school can just look up my info on the register and they'll see it all there :-D First job application will be today!